Polluted Pets Offer Dire Warning

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released a study that found that companion cats and dogs are polluted with even higher levels of many of the same synthetic industrial chemicals that researchers have recently found in people, including newborns.

EWG’s study revealed that dogs and cats were contaminated with 48 of 70 industrial chemicals tested, including 43 chemicals at levels higher than those typically found in people, according to EQG’s study of blood and urine from 20 dogs and 40 cats.

Average levels of many chemicals were substantially higher in pets than is typical for people, with 2.4 times higher levels of stain-and grease-proof coatings (perfluorochemicals) in dogs, 23 times more fire retardants (PBDEs) in cats, and more than 5 times the amounts of mercury in cats, compared to average levels in people found in national studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and EWG.

EWG says that cats are seven times more likely to ingest certain pollutants simply because of their grooming habits. Contaminated dust lands on their fur and they lick their fur and ingest the contaminants. The increase in mercury in cats is related to the amount of seafood they eat, and some of the contaminants were directly linked to the lining in dog and cat food cans. But get this, they say our canned food has the same lining, which means people are being exposed to the same contaminants, just perhaps at a slower rate.

This is a dire warning for both pets and people in the U.S. Diseases like cancer in dogs and hyperthyroidism in cats were virtually nonexistent 30 years. Today, cancer kills 25 percent of our dogs and hypothyroidism is the leading cause of death in cats, says EWG. Genetic changes can’t explain the increases in certain health problems among pets, leaving scientists to believe that chemical exposures play a significant role.

Under current federal law, chemical companies do not have to prove chemicals are safe before they are used in products, including pet toys and other products for our companion animals. EWG is calling for stronger safety standards, asking Congress to update a three decade old law that would require companies to test and ensure products are safe for both human and pet exposure.

According to EWG, there are eight times more companion dogs and cats than there are children under five in America. Seventy percent more households have dogs or cats than children of any age. Because of their limited diets and proximity to the ground, pets are can be subjected to chronic, constant exposures to chemical contaminants in homes, yards, and parks.

EWG says until laws are changed, pet owners can take a few preventative measures:

About the Author

Cathy M. Rosenthal has more than 25 years of experience in public relations, communications and humane education in the animal welfare field. She has worked for local humane societies and national humane groups, appearing on hundreds of television and radio news and public affairs programs to address animal issues. She currently is a consultant for local and national animal welfare organizations, writing grants, annual reports and other marketing materials. She is also the author of several children's books about animals.